Right now
Watauga River gauges
Readings are every 15 minutes from the U.S. Geological Survey, shown hourly for the last seven days. The page checks USGS again each time it opens.
Watauga River at Elizabethton
USGS gauge 03486000
Latest reading 1:00 AM EDT, Thu, Oct 1
Flow
349 cfs
Steady over 24 hours
7-day range 344 to 1,920 cfs
Gauge height
2.93 ft
Steady over 24 hours
7-day range 2.92 to 4.90 ft
Dam releases
Dams on the Watauga River
Part of the Watauga River is controlled by releases from Wilbur Dam. When generators are running, the river below the dam rises quickly. The generation schedule for each dam is on its lake page.
Weather
Watauga River weather and wind forecast
Thu, Oct 1 night
57°F
Mostly Clear
Wind E 5 mph
0% chance of rain
Thu, Oct 1
88°F
Sunny
Wind NW 0 to 5 mph
0% chance of rain
Thu, Oct 1 night
62°F
Mostly Clear
Wind SE 0 to 5 mph
0% chance of rain
Fri, Oct 2
89°F
Mostly Sunny then Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind SW 0 to 10 mph
28% chance of rain
Fri, Oct 2 night
65°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
Wind NW 0 to 5 mph
62% chance of rain
Sat, Oct 3
79°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
Wind N 0 to 5 mph
91% chance of rain
National Weather Service forecast, updated 1:06 AM, Thu, Oct 1.
Sun and moon, Fri, Oct 9
USGS readings from the Watauga River, refreshed each time the page opens.
Go fishing
Where to get on the Watauga River
Common questions
Watauga River level questions
Where are the Watauga River gauges?
USGS runs 1 gauge used on this page: Watauga River at Elizabethton.
What does cfs mean on the Watauga River?
Cubic feet per second: the volume of water passing the gauge each second. It is the best single number for how big the river is running. Gauge height is the water surface against a fixed point at that gauge and only compares with readings from the same gauge.
How often do the Watauga River readings update?
USGS gauges record every 15 minutes and usually report within an hour. This page checks USGS each time it opens and shows the time of the latest reading.
Why does the Watauga River rise and fall during the day?
Dam releases. When the dam upstream generates, the water below it rises within minutes and drops again when generation stops. The dam’s schedule is linked on this page.
River readings come from the U.S. Geological Survey and are provisional, as USGS publishes them. Forecasts come from the National Weather Service. Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated for the location. Tennessee Fishing Spots is not affiliated with USGS or NWS.
Keep going
More the Watauga River water, and who fishes it
Every guide and charter on this site is listed by the water they run, so you can call the captain direct. Licences, limits and the state record list are one click away too.